Richards Earns Win and Save, Ties Record for Career Wins

            PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The University of Southern Maine built big early leads, then held off Rhode Island College to sweep a Little East Conference baseball doubleheader, 9-5 and 9-6, Saturday afternoon at Anchormen Field.  The twin bill was switched from USM to Rhode Island College due to unplayable field conditions at USM's home field.

            The doubleheader sweep extends the Huskies' winning streak to five games, and improved their record to 14-6 overall and 4-2 in LEC games.  The Anchormen, winners in seven of their last eight games, fall to 12-7 overall and 3-3 in conference play.

            USM senior reliever Andrew Richards (South Portland, Maine) picked up the win in the first game and a save in the second game with a total of 5 2/3 innings of shutout relief. 

Game One

            The Huskies built a 7-0 lead in the first three innings, then had to hold off the Anchormen as Richards came on to snuff out a fifth-inning rally.

            After picking up an unearned run in the first inning, the Huskies added five runs in the second inning on a two-run single by junior Nick DiBiase (Portland, Maine/Deering) and a three-run double by sophomore Paul McDonough (Wells, Maine).  The Huskies added another unearned run in the third to take a comfortable 7-0 lead.

            Rhode Island College came back against USM junior starter Shyler Scates (Jefferson, Maine/Erskine Academy) for three runs in the fourth by taking advantage of two Husky errors.  Junior Matt Foley (Seekonk, Mass.) drove in a run with a single, and later scored on a groundout.

            In the fifth, the Anchormen loaded the bases on three consecutive singles before Scates got a strikeout and a pop up for the first two outs.  Foley lashed a single down the left-field line to plate two runs and bring Richards on.  Richards got the final out on a fly ball.

            Richards limited the Anchormen to three singles over 4 1/3 innings and struck out two to win his sixth game of the season, and the 24th of his career to tie the school record held by Robert Aceto (1988-91) and Denny Webber (1997-2000).

            The Huskies picked up an insurance run in the sixth on sophomore Jake Welch's (Londonderry, N.H.) solo home run, and in the eighth on an RBI single by rookie Devin Warren (Smithfield, Maine/Messalonskee). 

Game Two

            Like the first game, the Huskies built an 8-2 lead over the first four innings.  A five-run uprising in the first inning, keyed by a three-run homer by sophomore Damon Wallace (Gorham, Maine) and a two-run shot by Welch, wiped out a 1-0 deficit.

            Junior Sam Dexter (Oakland, Maine/Messalonskee) drove in a run in the second with a ground out, and DiBiase had an RBI triple in the third.  Welch picked up his third RBI in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly.

            Junior southpaw Tyler Leavitt (North Andover, Mass.) earned his first win of the season working 7 1/3 innings.  Leavitt gave up nine hits and one walk while striking out a career-high 11 batters.

            Richards got the call again in the eighth inning after the Anchormen closed the gap to three (9-6) on three-run homer by junior Angelo St. Laurent (Cranston, R.I.).  Richards got the final out of the eighth, and pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his second save of the season.

            DiBiase and Warren paced the Huskies' 12-hit attack with three hits apiece.  McDonough had a pair of doubles.  Welch and Damon each had three RBI.  Dexter's 19-game hitting streak this season (and 22 games over two seasons) came to an end as he went 0 for 4. 

Up Next

            Southern Maine will play Sunday (4:00 p.m.) against Framingham State University in Northboro, Mass.  The game replaces a home game against Wheaton College that was cancelled.  Rhode Island College hosts the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth on Tuesday (3:30 p.m.) for a single LEC game. 

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